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Sergison Bates lands extension to charity’s East End base

Sergison Bates has been chosen to design a new community hub for East End-based charity St Margaret’s House behind its existing home in Bethnal Green

The practice landed the job, which is close to Caruso St John’s Museum of Childhood, following a competitive interview with the board of trustees from the 130-year-old charity, which supports ’community, good works, creativity and wellbeing’.

Described as ’a large container with a single spacious hall’, the mixed-used addition to the original 1753 building will house performance spaces, offices for voluntary groups and studios for artists, social entrepreneurs and start-ups.

According to the practice, the scheme aims to ’unlock the potential of the open central area and of the existing spaces that surround it’.

Mark Tuff of Sergison Bates architects said: ’The project has the potential to transform the site, providing new kinds of spaces for the charity while revealing the potential of its existing buildings to make a new and vibrant ensemble.’

St Margaret’s House is home to more than 27 organisations and charities, together with four successful community projects: a vegan café; a health and wellbeing studio; a creative studio; and a charity shop.

St Margaret’s House director Tony Hardie said: ‘We were impressed by Sergison Bates’ imaginative interpretation of the brief and the creativity that they have brought to all aspects of the initial work. We are very much looking forward to expanding our reach into the community in a new home.’

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